Ford Building Transit Custom Electric in Turkey in 2023
Photo: Ford
Ford Motor Company on Tuesday announced that it will build the next-generation Ford Transit Custom lineup in early 2023 at its plant in Kocaeli, Turkey. Ford Otosan, Ford’s Turkish joint venture, will build electric versions of both the Transit Custom and the Tourneo custom.
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Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe, said that the addition of the all-electric Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom will help bolster Ford’s standing as the continent’s top brand for commercial vehicles.
“Transit Custom is the jewel in our commercial vehicle crown and key in our drive to grow our commercial vehicle business as we continue to create a sustainable, profitable Ford business in Europe rooted in an electrified future,” said Rowley.
Ford Otosan chairman Ali Koç said that the plant in Kocaeli will be the first in Turkey with dedicated capacity for the production of EVs and batteries. Last December, Ford Otosan announced it would donate approximately $2.4 billion over the next 10 years to transform the plant, increase capacity, and add new employees.
Ford aiming to electrify fleets
Photo: Ford
Last month, Ford announced that it plans to make its commercial vehicle lineup zero-emissions-capable by 2024. The automaker expects that two-thirds of global CV sales will come from electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2030. Production will start on the 2022 Ford E-Transit at Kansas City Assembly plant next year.
Ford has been Europe’s top commercial brand for six consecutive years, and it stands primed to repeat that feat two months in 2021.
The Ford Otosan Kocaeli plant opened in 2001 and currently accounts for 85 percent of all Transit vehicles sold worldwide. Ford Otosan also builds the Ford Courier at its Yenikoy Assembly Plant in Kocaeli.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.